This Palette is designed to convert AVA spot colour layers into masked 24bit image layers which will be read as standard layers in Adobe® Photoshop®™. It was created upon request from many AVA users who preferred AVA separations as masked image layers in Photoshop® rather than alpha channels.

The steps performed in the ‘Spot>PSD’ Palette

Using a loop, the Palette systematically creates a filled image layer of each spot layer colour and then sets the related spot layer as a mask within the image layer. This re-creates the look and feel of the original spot layer in an image layer format. Once each image layer is prepared the Palette will present a save option to the native ‘PSD’ format for Adobe® Photoshop®™. As the Palette physically changes the make-up of the design layers, a history make and restore step is also included at the start and finish of the Palette respectively. This ensures that the design restores back to its original state after the tiff has been saved.

How to use the ‘Spot>PSD’ Palette

1. Open a design document ensuring only spot layers are contained in the Layers Palette Window.
2. Click the Alpha Channel Tiff Palette to run it.
3. Once the Palette has loop it steps through each spot layer a PSD save settings dialog will appear. Ensure it is setup as the screenshot below and click ‘OK’
4. The resulting PSD file is saved on the Desktop.

Opening the PSD file into Adobe® Photoshop®™

The file will open in RGB mode and separations will appear in the Adobe® Photoshop®™ layers window. In order to set up a layer overlay environment like that of AVA, select each layer and set the blending mode to ‘Multiply’.